Maritime Heritage Minnesota was incorporated in July 2005 as a non-profit organization for scientific and educational activities in the State of Minnesota for the documentation, preservation, and conservation of our finite maritime archaeological and cultural resources.
To assist us in our mission, MHM is interested in acquiring manuscript materials (correspondence, business and yacht club records, photographs), ephemera (postcards, stereoviews), books, and rare books concerning Minnesota's maritime culture. Please donate your collection to us so that we can conserve them, preserve them, arrange them, write finding aids, and make them available to researchers. Collections will also be a learning tool for manuscript processor training.
To further assist us in our mission, please make a tax-deductible donation to MHM. Currently we can only accept checks and money orders. MHM will acknowledge all monetary and in-kind donations in writing for your tax records.
Please mail your donation to: MHM, 1214 St. Paul Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55116. Gifts $50 and over receive hand-crafted art tiles with Minnesota maritime scenes. Choose from several designs in two sizes or make a request!
View tile examples (pdf):
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In 1960, Minnesota was recognized by the "Father of Underwater Archaeology" Dr. George Bass as one of four states where ground-breaking underwater archaeology, discovery, and salvage began. That year saw the careful raising of New York's Lake George bateaux, the unfortunate salvage of the Union ironclad USS Cairo in Mississippi, and the discovery of the first ill-fated wreck of the Spanish Flota of 1715 in Florida. In contrast to the regrettable activities in Mississippi and Florida, Northern Minnesota saw the birth of "white-water archaeology" using innovative techniques and exceptional skill.
The "Quetico-Superior Underwater Research Project" (QSURP), sponsored by the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) and headed by the late University of Minnesota Professor Edward W. Davis, successfully and with great accuracy documented and excavated numerous 18th and early 19th century underwater sites in hazardous conditions between 1960-1973. Artifacts retrieved from these excavations were conserved and are housed at the MHS. Most importantly, in 1963 MHS hosted the first underwater archaeology conference in the United States, co-sponsored by the Council on Underwater Archaeology (CUA, established in 1959) in St. Paul (and again 10 years later in 1973). These pioneering conferences have evolved into the respected and well-attended Society for Historical Archaeology's (SHA) Annual Conference on Historical and Underwater Archaeology. SHA's annually published Underwater Archaeology conference papers provide an appropriate venue for the presentation of recent surveys and excavations to a wide professional and non-professional audience.
Minnesota's maritime heritage and cultural resources saturates its citizen's lives, from our over 10,000 lakes and mighty rivers to the majestic inland sea that is Lake Superior. Dotted along these riverbanks and lakeshores are large cities, small towns, and villages whose inhabitants depended on these waterways for transportation, livelihoods, energy, and recreation. This reliance is still reflected in the cultural remains, the submerged watercraft wreck sites, deserted or sunken piers, transportation system support buildings, amusements park ruins, flour and saw mill remnants, dams, power plants, and locks, evident on the river and lake bottoms and on shore. Picking up the mantle from QSURP in the 1990s, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) conducted preliminary submerged cultural resources surveys around the state and recognized several significant underwater and maritime sites. |
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| 19th Century Minnesota Map |
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| Lake Minnetonka Sailing Scow |
The goals of MHM are:
to preserve the maritime heritage of Minnesota by training volunteers and students to conduct scientific and historical research, underwater and nautical archaeological survey and excavation of shipwrecks, piers, docks, and other submerged cultural resources, terrestrial maritime archaeology, artifact and site conservation, and publication
to educate the citizens of Minnesota and its visitors through interpretive exhibits, educational outreach, archival and manuscript research opportunities, and survey/excavation
to develop educational programs to preserve, conserve, and interpret historic watercraft with the assistance of community leaders, volunteers, and students
to prevent the destruction of Minnesota's finite maritime cultural, archival, and historical resources through education, preservation, conservation, and management
These objectives will be achieved following the most stringent ethical standards, time-tested archaeological methods and theories, thorough historical research, and innovative techniques. Affiliations and partnerships will be established with communities, diving and non-diving volunteers, students, educational institutions, historical societies, and museums around the State to promote local participation in educational programs and projects conducted by MHM. A major focus of MHM is the prevention of damage to our finite maritime cultural resources due to diver ignorance, purposeful destruction for profit or personal gain, and the unnecessary condemnation of historic structures associated with Minnesota's maritime culture. |
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| Streetcar Boat White Bear |
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| Side-Wheeler Minneapolis |
Programs and Projects
MHM is designing programs to serve and educate the public through the interpretation of maritime and nautical archaeological sites, artifacts, and the historical documents that may accompany them. MHM will:
conduct terrestrial and underwater surveys and excavations to train interested students and volunteers in the best practical and ethical applications of archaeological methods and theories
establish underwater archaeological parks designed to educate divers about watercraft construction on wrecks in situ and the importance of non-invasive/non-destructive dive activities
acquire permanent exhibit space and create interpretive exhibits of site plans, conserved artifacts, and graphic representations concerning ethical standards and practices in maritime terrestrial, nautical, and underwater archaeology designed for the diver and non-diver
create traveling exhibits designed to interpret the submerged cultural resources of particular regions or bodies of water around the State to provide specific background information for Minnesota's citizens who use and enjoy Minnesota's maritime-related resources daily
present talks in school and community outreach programs that utilize artifacts and visuals to relate Minnesota's rich maritime history in a hands-on fashion
These activities will promote:
visits to city, state, college, and university library facilities for primary and secondary research by Minnesota residents, students, scholars, and visitors
the presentation of papers at conferences such as those held by the American Institute of Archaeology, Institute of Nautical Archaeology, Nautical Archaeology Society, North American Society for Oceanic History, and Society for Historical Archaeology
the publication of survey and excavation results in reports, articles, and academic theses
curriculum development at the elementary, junior high, and senior high levels intended to educate students about their own maritime heritage
nominations to the National Register of Historic Places through the State Historic Preservation Office
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| Early 20th Century Scene on White Bear Lake |
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| Launch Esther on Big Stone Lake |
MHM's Strategic Plan
During the next several years we are planning many projects:
Lake Superior, Northern Minnesota: Documentation, excavation, and conservation of clipper ship builder Donald McKay's USS Essex at Duluth. Essex is a nationally significant wreck, whose only comparable American Navy counterparts are the USS Constitution and USS Constellation. MHM set about re-locating the wreck in September 2007 with the assistance of colleague Steve Hack. MHM volunteer Kelly Nehowig first located the Essex in the surf zone and Olson, Merriman, Nehowig, and Hack assessed the wreck's condition. Compared to the mid-1990s site plan of the Essex, she has suffered from ice damage, vandalism, and looting over the years. See photos HERE and HERE.
Mississippi River, Minnesota: Phase I side imaging sonar survey of the Mississippi River's length from the source at Lake Itasca to the state's border to locate any submerged wrecks. Very few wrecks and underwater sites have been positively identified in Minnesota's section of the Mississippi River, justifying a complete survey to locate, document, and protect any submerged cultural resources in this great waterway. MHM plans a side imaging sonar survey of the river from the western border of Aitkin County to the western border of Itasca County, including the cities of Aitkin and Grand Rapids beginning in 2009 in order to establish a type database for northern Mississippi River steamer wrecks. Of particular concern is the condition of the steamers Andy Gibson and Swan near Aitkin, and complete documentation of both wrecks is a priority. Download a 2008 assessment of these wrecks HERE.
Big Island, Lake Minnetonka, Central Minnesota: In June and July 2007, MHM staff Merriman and Olson and volunteer Kelly Nehowig collaborated with Orono Community Education's Big Island Summer Institute to offer two days of terrestrial archaeology instruction for kids called "Dig On This." This brief introduction to the extensive archaeological resources on Big Island gave the kids a great overview to the rich cultural history relating to the Big Island Amusement Park and the Big Island Veteran's Camp. MHM also conducted underwater investigations in Big Island Bay, locating numerous submerged pier pilings and lateral planks that made up the large earth-filled steamboat docks. MHM hopes to continue this collaboration on Big Island and incorporate educational opportunities for adults in the disciplines of terrestrial and underwater archaeology. Download the 2007 report HERE.
Twin Cities, Central Minnesota: The MHM hopes to acquire and restore a permanent facility located on or near the Fort Snelling Military Reservation for the purposes of education, artifact conservation and exhibition, and archive and manuscript management. Our goal is to develop an ecologically friendly operational base that exploits sustainable power such as wind and solar, and uses recycled materials in its construction or restoration.
Lake Minnetonka, Western Twin Cities: (1) Phase I side scan sonar survey of the Upper and Lower Lakes; (2) attempt to locate remains of Belle of Minnetonka in St. Alban's Bay; (3) terrestrial examinations of maritime sites including streetcar boat stops; Phase II documentations of: (4) side-wheel wreck at Excelsior Bay entrance Minneapolis); (5) stern-wheeler near Streetcar Boat wrecks (possible Excelsior); (6) Wayzata Bay wooden barge; (7) Excelsior Commons wreck (known as Jerry's Wreck); (8) Tug Hercules; (9) Streetcar Boats Como, White Bear, and Hopkins.
Burntside Lake, Northern Minnesota: Phase I side scan sonar survey of Burntside Lake near Ely to locate any underwater sites and the development of a management plan for any sites discovered. MHM will also augment an already-completed Phase II documentation of the lumbering scow Bull of the Woods to assess her condition and determine of a preservation plan is warranted.
White Bear Lake, Northeast Twin Cities: Phase I side scan sonar survey of White Bear Lake to locate any underwater sites and the development of a management plan for any sites discovered.
Big Stone Lake, Western Minnesota: Phase I side scan sonar survey of Big Stone Lake to locate any underwater sites and the development of a management plan for any sites discovered, and an assessment of the Royal Moore-built torpedo stern boat Muskegon/Golden Bantam. |
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| Christopher Olson and Big Island "Dig On This" kids uncover an arch base. Photo by Kelly Nehowig. |
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| "Dig On This" kids uncover arch bases and note their findings. Photo by Kelly Nehowig. |
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| Big Island Amusement Park Mission-Style Arch Base, 2007. Photo by Ann Merriman. |
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| Donald McKay-built Gunboat USS Essex |
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| Stern-Wheeler Excelsior on Lake Minnetonka |
Thank you for visiting our site. Please e-mail or call with questions and check back often for updates.
E-mail MHM HERE.
Mail MHM: c/o Merriman and Olson, 1214 St. Paul Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55116
Phone MHM: 651.489.0759 |
